Why is my cat going to the litter box often but not producing anything?

I would be concerned she may have cystitis - painful inflammation of the bladder (or possibly colitis or constipation of the bowel). This is an extremely distressing and uncomfortable condition and should be assessed and treated by your vet as soon as possible. Try to encourage fluid intake with wet food and freshly boiled chicken broth in the meantime

Poor Oreo! Straining in the litter box can be caused by constipation, diarrhea, or urinary issues - it's often quite difficult to tell if a cat is straining to pee or poop, so it can be hard to differentiate these things if you aren't used to looking at them. The most concerning possibility is that Oreo may have a urinary obstruction, especially if you have not seen a significant amount of urine in either box since yesterday. This is unfortunately a very common problem in male cats, because their urethra is extremely narrow where it exits the penis - this area can often become "plugged" with crystals or mucus from the bladder. Signs of this problem include repeatedly going to the litter box without producing much urine, crying when trying to urinate, and often lethargy, decreased appetite, and vomiting. If he does have a urinary obstruction, this is a life-threatening emergency that needs immediate treatment, as the bladder can rupture and cause death within 24 hours in some cases. It's also possible that Oreo is using the litter box so much because he has diarrhea, or is having trouble passing stool because he is constipated. These problems are less common than urinary issues in my experience, but would still need to be treated by a vet - especially since he's been acting this way for two days now, and seems to be getting worse. I would recommend taking Oreo to the vet today for an exam. He/she can palpate his abdomen to check his bladder and colon, and may also recommend some diagnostic testing if needed to help diagnose the problem.

Hi, it is important for Percy to be checked over urgently as he could be having troubles passing urine. If this should continue to the point of being unable to pass any urine at all, it would potentially be a life threatening emergency. Best to have him checked over sooner rather than later ! Hope he feels better soon,

It certainly sounds like Lolo could have a urinary tract issue as urinating in small amounts without producing much is definitely abnormal. I would take her to your vet. They may want to check her urine for infection and take an x-ray to check for bladder stones. Often cats don't have UTIs but still can have bladder inflammation. Making sure they drink plenty of water, and feeding wet food can help with bladder health. Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Lumi! If Lumi is only passing small amounts of urine he could have cystitis (bladder inflammation), crystals in his urine, bladder stones or even a UTI. Since Lumi is a male cat he has the risk of obstructing and not being able to urinate at all. A urinary obstruction is life threatening. I recommend that he see a Vet today to relieve his discomfort and prevent it from worsening. I hope this helps and I wish Lumi the best!

I would recommend having Paws examined by a vet. Sometimes cats will start to feel sluggish and uncomfortable in the litter box if they have a UTI, bladder stones, some inflammatory conditions, or constipation. Since you aren't seeing much in the box, it is hard to determine which is the case, but a vet should be able to figure it out on physical exam.

Poor Hiro! This could be a urinary tract infection or he could be blocked meaning he is incapable of urinating. The latter is an emergency. Since you haven’t seen anything come out, I would recommend to have him seen as soon as possible. Your vet will be able to determine whether he is blocked or just has a bad infection and get him started on the proper meds and treatment. I doubt this has anything to do with the food l, but if he is blocked or starts having chronic issues with his urine, the vet may recommend a special diet for him. I hope this helps!